Lesson in Love
by Durnesque
Summary: Edward looks back at a couple who taught him everything he knows about love. Post Breaking Dawn.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight.

Taking a fling at writing a Twilight story, don't know how it will turn out. Told in Edward's point of view.

**Lessons in Love**

From the moment I saw Kerry Smithee, I knew I liked him.

I met him in 1945, when I was listed as a junior in a high school whose name escapes me now. I spent a lot of time watching people, listening to what was going on inside their heads. He was a junior, like me. It was soothing, almost, to listen to Kerry's thoughts. Not once did I ever hear him thinking poorly of another person, and I admired that. It wasn't until he met Jenny Perry, a freshman. It didn't seem strange to me at all that he had feelings for this girl. She was pretty, quite popular, and an all around good person. Almost every time I tuned into his thoughts, he was thinking about Jenny. Rosalie had asked me why I was always following him around, and I never did tell why, because I was somewhat embarrassed to be prying into this innocent boy's head simply out of curiosity.

I had started listening to her thoughts, too. I was genuinely curious to see how she acted when he was around her. I was so interested in love because it was something I had never experienced before. She _was_ pretty; a skinny brunette with pearly white teeth and violet eyes. She started sitting with Kerry at lunch, just the two of them, talking quietly. Her thoughts were so pure, just like Kerry's. I thought they were a perfect match. They walked home together, they held hands, and they were just so honest to each other. I had observed hundreds of relationships, but not one of them had fascinated me as much as this one.

When Kerry was a senior, Jenny was diagnosed with a rare case of cancer. The doctors had told her that she only had an estimate of 5 years left. I thought she would change from the nerves and stress, but if anything, she gained a better view of life. It seemed as if Kerry was the one suffering. Kerry constantly worried about her, and it started to show. His face was sullen and wary, as if he didn't sleep anymore. Every time he was around Jenny, I could hear his heartbeat slow, like it was hurting him to be around her. To this day, I remember her scolding him for worrying about her.

When she was 19, they had a beautiful baby boy that looked exactly like Kerry. I remember going over to their house to visit about a year later, seeing the little toddler with wavy brown hair soft facial features. Laurence Smithee was his name. Jenny was in a wheelchair at this time, her muscles failing on her. Every day Kerry would take her and Laurence on a walk to the park, his thought always loving and kind.

When Jenny died, Kerry was a changed man. He stopped singing on his way to work, stopped smiling. His thoughts were only happy around Laurence. He gave the rest of his heart to that little boy, and that little boy loved devoted his life to making Kerry happy again.

I learned a lot from the Smithee family.

Today, as I hold my own child in my arms, I can't help but think of Kerry. He taught me everything I know about how to love someone with all your heart. He taught me that even though it looks like there's nothing but darkness, you can always find love in the strangest of places. I was so jealous of him, even though he lost almost everything. I wanted to be just as loving and caring as him, but I couldn't find a single soul in the world that I wanted for myself. That is, until I met Bella. I copied what I could remember from Kerry, devoting my life to this girl. I don't regret a thing I've ever done, except almost letting her go, something Kerry never would have done. I felt ashamed, but intentions were for the better, right?

I look at my family, and all I see is the total love surrounding us. I sometimes wonder what kind of man I would be if I hadn't watched love play out for myself. Would I still think of it the same way? Would I be a good father? Would I even _be_ a father? For now, I had everything I wanted, and things were only looking better and better in the future. I vowed to myself to never let go of this life, never let go of the things I loved.

And that seems to be working out pretty good for me.


End file.
